1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable handle assembly, and more particularly to a retractable handle assembly for suitcases and having a rotatable hand grip rotatably provided thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical retractable handle assemblies are provided for attaching to such as the suitcases and comprise two or more pairs tubes or pipes slidably engaged with each other and extendible outward relative to each other for allowing the tubes or pipes to be adjusted and pulled outward of the suitcases for carrying purposes, and to be stored in the suitcases. A hand grip is normally solidly secured on top of the tubes or pipes and may not be rotated relative to the tubes or pipes or the suitcases. U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,984 to Cheng discloses one of the typical retractable handle assemblies and also includes a hand grip solidly secured on top of the tubes or pipes. When the suitcases carry heavy goods therein and when the suitcases are tilted or are falling down, the hand grip may not be rotated relative to the suitcases such that the users hands holding the hand grips may be twisted and hurt by the hand grip when the heavy suitcases falling down.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional retractable handle assemblies.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a retractable handle assembly including a rotatable hand grip rotatably provided thereon for allowing the hand grip to be rotated relative to the suitcase and for preventing the users hands from being rotated and twisted and hurt by the hand grip when the suitcases are falling down.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a retractable handle assembly comprising a pair of conduits, a pair of tubes slidably engaged in the conduits, and movable into the conduits in a storing position, and extendible outward of the conduits in an outward extended and working position, a housing secured on top of the tubes and moved in concert with the tubes relative to the conduits, a hand grip rotatably secured to the housing, and means for selectively locking the tubes to the conduits.
The housing includes a shaft secured thereon, the hand grip is rotatably secured onto the shaft. The hand grip includes an orifice formed therein for rotatably receiving the shaft, the shaft includes an enlarged head laterally extended outward therefrom and engaged with the hand grip for preventing the hand grip from being disengaged from the shaft.
The selectively locking means includes at least one spring biased latch provided in a first of the tubes, a bar slidably received in the housing, and a link coupling the bar to the spring biased latch for selectively actuating the spring biased latch to engage with the conduits.
A spring biasing device may further be provided for biasing the bar away from the tubes and the conduits.
The selectively locking means includes a pin slidably engaged through the shaft, and preferably coupled to the bar and moved in concert with the bar.
The selectively locking means includes means for depressing the pin inward of the shaft and includes a knob slidably engaged in the hand grip, a beam and a lever are pivotally secured to the hand grip and each includes a first end and a second end, the first end of the beam is pivotally secured to the knob, a block is pivotally secured to the second ends of the beam and the lever, the first end of the lever includes an actuator aligned with the pin for depressing the pin inward of the shaft when the knob is depressed inward of the hand grip.
A spring biasing device may further be provided for biasing the knob outward of the hand grip.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.